Archive: Community Relations

Nearly 1,000 New York Army National Guard Soldiers, family members, friends and members of the Glens Falls, N.Y., community turned out Christmas Eve for the 9th annual road march to support the troops.

On Tuesday, senior leaders, from Fort Drum's 10th Mountain Division (LI), and state Sen. Patty Ritchie visited the home of Julian Ross, an Oswego County second-grader, who has been battling cancer for more than a year.

The U.S. Army honored three civilian employees at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Dec. 1, 2012, for their commitment to enriching students' experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, commonly known as STEM.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced, Dec. 14, 2012, the schedule for removing rock formations in the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill., that pose a threat to navigation as water levels on the river drop.

In the spirit of giving during the holiday season, Soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., assisted veterans at the Washington Soldiers Home in Orting, Wash., with selecting, wrapping and shipping presents to loved ones this week.

A Soldier with the 3rd Battalion, 85th Mountain Infantry Regiment, Warriors in Transition Unit, received the George Van Cleave Military Leadership Award during the 51st Annual USO Armed Forces Gala and Gold Medal Dinner, Dec. 13, 2012, held at a hotel located in the middle of New York City's famous Times Square.

Before Monday morning's roll call, Soldiers with the World Class Athlete Program fell into formation. Among them, propped up on crutches and dressed in his own Army Combat Uniform, stood 10-year-old Benjamin Smith.

Army engineers, scientists and business professionals volunteered to be virtual judges for an online science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM, competition for students during an annual sign-up road show at the Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance campus at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Dec. 11, 2012.

The Army announces the availability of the Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact for Modernizing and Operating Training Ranges on Previous or Existing Range Sites on Army Training Areas and invites the public to provide comments until Jan. 11, 2013.

WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. -- To help put this year's Pearl Harbor Day remembrance into perspective, one of Watervliet Arsenal's oldest living retirees this week recalled life at the Arsenal during the early days of World War II.

On the evening of Oct. 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall along the New Jersey coast resulting in the most damaging disaster in state history. Since then, Federal funds obligated to assist the residents and communities in the state have totaled more than $730 million.

The Army displayed a wide variety of equipment and technologies at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Dec. 8, 2012, including the tactical operations center, mine-resistant, ambush-protected all-terrain vehicles, a Stryker vehicle, small and large military robots, and a variety of Soldier weapons, uniforms, helmets and body armor, during the 113th Army/Navy football game.

For some, living overseas can be scary and frustrating. Vicenza military community members had a chance to speak to mayors of their respective communities to ask questions, voice concerns, and sample local products. About 30 municipalities of the Vicenza province displayed their specialties in the fourth 'Meet the Mayors' event.

Leadership from the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, including Lt. Gen. Mike Ferriter and Command Sgt. Maj. Earl Rice, participated in the Chicago Bears' annual tribute to military veterans during their Sunday Night Football game against the Houston Texans on Veterans Day at Soldier Field.

Soldiers from 7th Infantry Division and former National Football League players shared their experiences with traumatic brain injuries during a round-table discussion, Nov. 20, 2012, at Virginia Mason Athletic Center, the Seattle Seahawks' practice facility.

Special agents from the Army Criminal Investigation Command are once again warning Internet users worldwide to be extra vigilant and not to fall prey to Internet scams or impersonation fraud -- especially scams promising true love, but only end up breaking hearts and bank accounts.

Since its barging operations began Nov. 10, 2012, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has moved an estimated 26,000 tons of debris out of New York City coastal neighborhoods devastated by last month's Hurricane Sandy and up the Hudson River.

At 6:30 a.m., on Thanksgiving Day, dozens of local and out-of-state tree-clearing crews began to trickle in with their bucket trucks and wood chippers to a parking lot near Alley Pond Park. The work is part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' overall emergency debris removal mission.

Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, along with Seoul American Middle School students and the Korean Foreigners Friendship Cultural Society, delivered coal briquettes to the households of elderly and low income families living in Ahyeon-dong, South Korea, Nov. 19, 2012, so they could stay warm over the winter.

A Soldier's boots tend to get a bit more wear than those of the average person. This is especially true for Spc. Rebecca Fant of Natick Soldier Systems Center, who gave up an extra pair of her boots to a woman without shoes during a weekly trip to a local soup kitchen.

As Americans prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, more than 1,100 members of the New York National Guard continue their support to recovery efforts following landfall of Hurricane Sandy or augment New York City law enforcement at transportation centers for the single largest travel day in the nation.

Thousands of Soldiers from across the country have been involved in rescue and then recovery efforts since Hurricane Sandy pummeled the East Coast late last month. Many are still helping with the cleanup.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has stated that his top priority is to restore power to those affected by Hurricane Sandy, and luckily, the 249th Engineer Battalion, from Fort Bragg, N.C., is helping to do just that.

Soldiers from Fort Leavenworth, Kan., 50 in all, shared the unique opportunity of re-enlisting on the playing field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., before the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs military appreciation game, Nov. 18, 2012.

In the late morning of Nov. 6, 2012, a commercial jet touched down at Syracuse International Airport, marking the ending of one Korean War Soldier's saga that began with his enlistment into the Army in 1948, and ended with closure for his family.

Hurricane Sandy, the second-costliest hurricane in American history, hit the Northeast in late October, resulting in more than $50 million in damage. In response to the catastrophic storm, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) Soldiers deployed to New York City and New Jersey, where they have been working around the clock to support refueling operations throughout the impacted area.

Think global, act local. The phrase, popularized in the 1970s on the back bumpers of hippies' Volkswagens and on the front of their T-shirts, has evolved through the years and taken on a wider meaning. Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District is considering the adoption of local green building standards to meet the Army's worldwide environmental and energy performance goals.

Trucks full of debris from Hurricane Sandy continue to arrive daily on Fresh Kills Land Fill, Staten Island, which is being used as a temporary staging site for debris collected from the Oct. 29, 2012, storm.

Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York Recovery Field Office in Queens, N.Y., inspected several wings that were not in use at the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale, Nov. 13, 2012.

President Barack Obama laid a flowered wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, Nov. 11, 2012, and after thanking all veterans, he said more than a million warriors will transition back into civilian life over the next few years.

In response to the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy, Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division deployed to New York City and New Jersey to support refueling operations throughout the impacted area.

As we celebrate Veterans Day on the anniversary of the Armistice ending World War I, we remember the fallen, and show our solemn pride for the heroism, strength, and dedication of those still among us -- the veterans we know as our friends, neighbors, and relatives.

Almost 4,000 troops, operating more than 1,300 trucks and Humvees, have delivered 2.5 million emergency meals and 150,000 blankets to storm victims, and fueled more than 13,000 city vehicles, while visiting more than 12,000 homes and apartments to check on residents, since Hurricane Sandy hit the night of Oct. 29, 2012.

In The Hudson Valley counties of Rockland and Westchester, New York Army National Guard Soldiers are teaming up with utility crews to identify downed power lines and repair them so that power can be restored in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

With Orient Shield 12 winding down, Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, along with their Japan Ground Self Defense Force counterparts, participated in a historical tour of the ancient city of Kyoto, Japan, during the first of two culture days.

The annual National Veterans Day Observance is scheduled for Nov. 11, 2012, at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., to honor all veterans who served and continue to serve in the military as well as a memorial service for General of the Armies John J. Pershing.

New Yorkers who are still without power in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island in the wake of Hurricane Sandy will get some help in casting their votes on Election Day from the New York Army National Guard.

Soldiers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are providing temporary emergency power in areas of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania affected by Hurricane Sandy. USACE teams have deployed to strategic locations to help at critical facilities like hospitals, nursing homes and shelters.

About 7,000 Guard members are helping people who are living without power while facing low temperatures, and people whose water-ruined possessions are piled at the curb, all while local transportation infrastructure crippled and simply pumping gas can be a day-long chore, in communities worst-hit by Hurricane Sandy.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping pump water out flooded New York City and providing generators to temporarily restore electricity to areas hit hard by Hurricane Sandy in both New York and New Jersey.

Representatives from Research, Development and Engineering Command and the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center were among more than 1,000 people who attended the ninth annual Massachusetts STEM Summit, held Oct. 11, 2012, at Gillette Stadium.

Virginia National Guard Soldiers trudged through high water and cut trees to clear a path for two rescue missions that transported seven adults and one child to safety at two locations, Oct. 30, 2012, on Cattail Road in the Mears, Va., area.

Soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) remained dedicated to their missions in Arlington National Cemetery, Va., and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., despite the onset of Hurricane Sandy.

In 1947, the parents of U.S. Army Air Corps Tech. Sgt. William S. Cassell received word that their son was one of eight U.S. Army Air Corps airmen presumed dead after the aircraft in which they were flying went missing.

Since Hurricane Sandy made landfall Oct. 29, 2012, more than 9,100 National Guard troops across 12 states have been assisting with search and rescue operations, food and water distribution, debris removal and providing security and shelter for storm victims.

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo mobilized more than 2,300 Soldiers and Airmen by Oct. 30, 2012, to assist local communities and first responders for the forecasted storm surge and floods associated with Subtropical Storm Sandy's landfall, Oct. 29.

A group of professional athletes served a group of service men and women, wounded warriors, veterans and mothers of fallen heroes at "Salute to the Stars," a luncheon that honored America's bravest Oct. 22, 2012, at an upscale steakhouse in the nation's Capitol.

Thirty Soldiers and a Joint Services Color Guard from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., participated in pre-game ceremonies for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants, Oct. 17, 2012, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

WIESBADEN, Germany - It began with a group of strangers touring a vacant U.S. military housing area near Frankfurt and ended with friends celebrating having made a lasting contribution to German-American relations.

Hawthorne Army Depot and the Walker River Paiute Tribal Council, signed a Memorandum of Understanding which clarifies notification procedures for rail shipments crossing the reservation and outlines responsibilities for joint emergency response and training opportunities between the depot and the tribe.

Fort Belvoir officials thanked supporters and friends of the post with traditional German food, music, beer and fun during the ceremonial keg tapping event Friday, part of the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation's 17th annual Oktoberfest celebration on Freemont Field.
More than 120 guests attended the VIP invitation-only event, including Maj. Gen. Michael Linnington, commanding general for the Joint Force Headquarters, National Capital Region/Military District of Washington; Army Reserve Ambassador for the Commonwealth of Virginia Ron Adolphi and Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

The Fort Meade Fire Department was the second arriving engine and the first truck at the two-alarm fire at Odenton's Seven Oaks Apartments, Sept. 30, 2012. The blaze resulted in the evacuation of residents living in 24 apartments, including four that were occupied by Fort Meade personnel.

The Southern California Recruiting Battalion and the City of Coronado, Calif., teamed up to employ Army veterans during a Partnership for Youth Success signing ceremony at the Coronado City Hall, Sept. 18, 2012.

Q. What is a levee?
A. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) defines a levee as a "man-made structure, usually an earthen embankment, designed and constructed in accordance with sound engineering practices to contain, control, or divert the flow of water so as to provide protection from temporary flooding." The terms dike and levee are sometimes used interchangeably.
Examples of levee systems in the Houston area are the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-constructed Texas City and Vicinity Hurricane Protection System, Freeport and Vicinity Hurricane Protection System, the Port Arthur and Vicinity Hurricane Protection System and the locally constructed levee systems in Fort Bend County.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District is part of a broad Planning and Response Team, a special team of individuals who respond to disasters like flooding and hurricanes within days of the end of a disaster.

Chicago Ideas Week kicked off its Ideas Festival Oct. 8, with a 'Military Talk' session at the Goodman Theater in downtown Chicago.
The Military Talk focus was taking the audience from the front lines to the home front, and then explaining a Soldier's readjustment to life after war.

In an event presided over by FSHES Principal Tonya Hyde, Dr. Gail Siller, Superintendent of the Fort Sam Houston Independent School District joined USAEC Commander, Col. Mark A. Lee in signing a special poster-sized agreement featuring photos of past Adopt-a-School activities. With the signing, USAEC volunteers agreed to continue sharing knowledge of the environmental sciences, professional career paths and a genuine love of lifelong discovery with FSHES students and faculty.

The mother of an autistic child on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., is working to create an education program for children like her son, who suffers from an autism spectrum disorder and doesn't benefit from mainstream classrooms.

Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno spoke on behalf of military children, at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's national conference, citing the challenges and stresses they endure to an audience of child support professionals from across the nation.

Kansas chiropractors pledged their commitment to service members in a community covenant signing here Oct. 15 at the 100th anniversary celebration and fall convention of the Kansas Chiropractic Association.

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii -- Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski, U.S. Army Pacific commanding general, threw out the match ball and welcomed the military and public to a day of Army polo Oct. 15 at historic Palm Circle on Fort Shafter. The exhibition match between the Army Gold and Army Black teams was a culmination of an inaugural polo season for Army Polo Hawaii that participated in five games, all of them a benefit for the Association of the U.S. Army, which supports Soldiers and their Families.

Soldiers and Family Members from 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Third Infantry Division, participated in a Master Resiliency overview and Family Readiness Group meeting held at Fort Stewart's Woodruff Theater, Oct. 5.

An American entertainer drew international attention in 2009, but it wasn't his headlining performances and chart-topping singles that had everyone talking about Chris Brown. The pop music icon was plastered all over the news as he was charged with a felony assault on his then-girlfriend and R&B recording artist, Rihanna.
Most of us remember the high-profile domestic case that rattled the 'Facebook Generation' two and a half years ago. Disgusted, the American public took a stance against the intolerable crime, and broadcasted their support against domestic violence through social media venues, blogs, text messages and protests. But in that same year we took a stance against Brown's Hollywood drama that unfolded on just about every major television network, there were thousands of other Americans who were also suffering similar tragedies behind closed doors.